Improvement in the methods of stringing pianos



J. J. HULL & W RAYNOR. METHOD OF swmmme PIANOS.

NO. 194,151; Patented. Aug.14,1877.

MFUHS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, VHSHINGTON, D c.

UNITED STATES JAMES J. HULL AND WILLIAM RAYNOR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PATENT OFFIoEl IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHODS OF STRINGING PIANOS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 194,15 l dated August14, 1877 application filed July 5, 1877.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES J. HULL andWILLIAM RAYNOR, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Fortesand we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Our improvement has for its object the construction of stringedinstrumentssuch as pianos-so as to occupy less space than has hithertobeen required for effecting the same or an equal tone and volume ofmusic. This is accomplished by stretching upon a harpshaped or otherframe, over bridges, the metallic strings by means of loops, pegs, andtuning-pins, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1and 3 are plan views of the manner or method of attaching and adjustingthe v strings, and Fig. 2 a side view.

A is the soundingboard; B B, the bridges; c c, a single string; 01 d d,the loops; H, the anchoring or fastening pegs; j, the tunlug-pm.

The loops are of equal lengths. The frame and bridges, in a completeinstrument, accommodate the differing lengths of the stringscorresponding to the vibrations required of them.

The eyes or ends of the loops immediately attached to or connected withthe string may be of a vibrating wire or plate, as shown in the drawing,Fig. 1, or of an elliptical metallic plate, as shown at Fig. 4, havingtwo apertures, m m, for connecting the string with the loops (1 d d.

The ends of the string 0 c are fastened to loops d d,while its centerpasses through the aperture of the'loop d. The loops d d are permanentlyfastened and anchored to the frame by the pegs t t", and the loop d", atthe center of the wire, is attached to the tuningpin j. Thus equaltension of the two halve of the wire 0 c is attained by turning th pinj.

By this arrangement and adjustment it i found, in practice, the stringsmay be mad to vibrate in a manner producing the sam strength, volume,and tone that are obtaine when they are under tension in a straig linethroughout their whole length, as ha hitherto been the practice ofarranging the! in musical instruments.

The strings arranged in accordance wit our system and invention may bestruck b hammers moved by keys, and their vibratio or sounds stoppedprecisely as is now pra ticed in the construction of piano-fortes.

Fig. 3 shows a general plan of arrangin the shorter strings, which neednot be double or folded. The long strings are passe through loops andfolded so as to occupy littl more than one-half the usual length. i

The short strings may be arranged in th}: usual way, as shown byff,ff,&c.

In Fig. 2 only one side of the folded strin is shown; but each of thelong strings is t be arranged as shown in Fig. l. The sho strings may bearranged in any suitable wa as now known. 2

The essential feature of our invention is the shortening of the lengthof the instr ment as now due to the necessity of havin the long stringsstraight.

The invention is applicable to both horizoiltal and upright pianos. 5

The parts 0 0 form but a single long string, and act as such.

We are aware that it is not new to for two strings out of a continuouslength string by doubling the same, nor to tune t two sections of such astring from one tunin pin, and therefore we do not claim the sam but,Having thus described our invention, whelt we desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. The method of stringing pianos, whic consists infolding the long strings through 1- loop or its equivalent, aflixed to avibratin wire or string connected with a tuning-pi and confining theends of the long strings at In testimony that we claim the foregoing asthe opposite bridge, or at a point between the ourown we affix oursignatures in presence two bridges, whereby the piano can be shortof twowitnesses.

ened without impairing the volume of tone of JAMES J. HULL. the longstrings, substantially as set forth. WM. RAYNOR.

2. The loops at d d attached to the wire 0 Witnesses: r c, in connectionwith the pegs z" and tuning- D. D. PARMELEE,

pin j, for the purposes set forth. J. H. TAYLOR.

